1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to safety gates and more specifically it relates to a safety gate for efficiently controlling ingress or egress for children, pets, and the like into and out of a designated area.
2. Description of the Related Art
Any discussion of the related art throughout the specification should in no way be considered as an admission that such related art is widely known or forms part of common general knowledge in the field.
A variety of currently existing safety gates are designed and constructed to restrict, prevent or otherwise control the ingress or egress of infants, children, pets and the like within or about a designated area. Such gates may be adjusted for use in passageways or openings of varying widths or related dimensions. Several such gates often include movable bumpers, which may be extended from and retracted into the safety gate structure to secure or release the safety gate from contiguous openings.
A disadvantage of convention gates employing movable bumpers is that various mechanisms used to actuate the bumpers are relatively complex and expensive. Such gates conventionally incorporate multiple mechanisms to achieve bumper actuation and include numerous interconnecting parts requiring precise fittings and positioning to interact operationally in order to extend and retract the bumpers. Other conventional gates utilize actuating mechanism that includes a complex arrangement of links, cranks, pull rods or springs that interconnect to a pull handle.
Another disadvantage of conventional gates is an inability of associated movable plungers to compensate for different spacing between each bumper and the side member of an opening. Different spacing can result from various factors, such as surface irregularities of the vertical members of an opening, an opening having nonparallel vertical members and the like. Moreover, many conventional gates use rigid connections between bumpers and corresponding actuating mechanism, which may either result in a bumper making minimal or no contact with a vertical member of the opening, or a bumper exerting an excessive force against the vertical member of an opening.
Conventional gates are also functionally limited by their inability to attach securely to a corresponding sliding door structure without slipping or otherwise becoming disengaged. Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved safety gate for efficiently controlling ingress or egress for children, pets, and the like into and out of a designated area.